The Old Folks Home

[drumstick diva]

I didn't drive because my mom never drove - I'm sure I inherited it from her. My aunts didn't drive either . I guess in that era the husbands schlepped them around and they were passengers. We were two blocks from one major bus route, and half a block from another. My mom never used the bus. I do recall once in a blue moon, riding in a cab to the doctor. Otherwise her brother drove us. When I was 12 an uncle gave us his '47 chevy - my dad was a self taught driver - we were white knuckle passengers - it worked out okay. They didn't have seat belts in the day, my aunt used to hold me on her lap in the front seat. Luckily no mishaps, I would have been her airbag and I was a tiny, scrawny thing.

Much later we found out my mom had panic attacks and agoraphobia and so did I, so that probably caused a lot of "not doing" thing.

 

[Highcotton]

Bear in mind that the vast majority of municipalities receive money from tickets through their municipal courts and it is earmarked, a small percent at a time, to fund specific community projects. The money goes into the general fund of the city, not the police departments bank account, much less into the hands of anyone in a uniform. I think people often think the officers can somehow get their hands on the money at will. In the vast majority of places, this is simply not true. It should not be true anywhere.

As for confiscated money, there are strict federal guidelines that determine what can and cannot be seized and what can be used and what can't. Situations like you mentioned, CC, would not cause suspicion, but when a 17 year old has $6,000.00 in his pocket and no visible means of support (no job), and when asked where the money came from, his answer is that he cuts grass, in January, really? Add to that he is holding small quantities of drugs, packaged to sell and has prior trafficking charges and I don't think he should be allowed to keep that money. Once the federal criteria is satisfied, that money is used to buy equipment to assist in arresting more drug dealers. Many times, what is bought is lapel camera's for the officers to wear both in uniform and undercover.

Unfortunately, there are some small communities that rely on revenue from tickets to cover operating costs, but most people know that, and are careful not to fudge on the traffic laws, even a little. Tickets are not written for "supposed" offenses. There are plenty of laws, ordinances, and violations to write tickets for, without having to make up reasons. As a matter of fact, officers often write one or two of the more serious (dangerous) citations and just give verbal warnings in lieu of tickets for other less serious or lesser known violations.

The problem is, no one ever deserves a ticket, if you don't believe me, ask them.

Writing a traffic ticket is one of the least enjoyable parts of being a cop, but it is necessary. Think of all the people who ignore traffic laws. How many more would that be if there were no consequences for it, other than wrecks? Everyone thinks that won't happen to them.

You may not write tickets for supposed offenses but I have gotten several tickets for supposed offenses in places where I knew better than to speed and I was not speeding. In 2 of the towns I know legal action was taken by the state. The latest was in the city that I get my mail from. I refuse to call it my home town. I was taking relaxing and avoiding the interstate. He was out of his jurisdiction and totally out of the speed limit that he quoted. He followed me about 2 miles and cited me at an address in the city. I talked to the police captain and he said yes we have had a problem with him but I had to pay the ticket. They lost money on me I don't buy anything there and I don't drive through there.

 

[vehve]

Now, now Oz. Finland has some decent grub too... Like the... err.. or the ... um... Well, the fish here is pretty good, and reindeer and elk. And the best potato in the world for making mash, the Puikula, from Lapland. The tomatoes are pretty crappy here though. But Finnish milk is the best in the world (I might be slightly biased, but seriously, the quality is very high). We just aren't very known for our cuisine.

I am proud to say, I knew what a Holden Ute looks like.

 

[casportpony]

Kathy, you should be able to give us some pointers on growing Garlic.

You'd think so, lol, but I don't.

-Kathy

 

[ronott1]

You may not write tickets for supposed offenses but I have gotten several tickets for supposed offenses in places where I knew better than to speed and I was not speeding. In 2 of the towns I know legal action was taken by the state. The latest was in the city that I get my mail from. I refuse to call it my home town. I was taking relaxing and avoiding the interstate. He was out of his jurisdiction and totally out of the speed limit that he quoted. He followed me about 2 miles and cited me at an address in the city. I talked to the police captain and he said yes we have had a problem with him but I had to pay the ticket. They lost money on me I don't buy anything there and I don't drive through there.

I do not know why people paint things in black and white--there are good cops and bad cops. We know of corruption, graft and drug addictions that cause once good people to do bad things.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I didn't drive because my mom never drove - I'm sure I inherited it from her. My aunts didn't drive either . I guess in that era the husbands schlepped them around and they were passengers. We were two blocks from one major bus route, and half a block from another. My mom never used the bus. I do recall once in a blue moon, riding in a cab to the doctor. Otherwise her brother drove us. When I was 12 an uncle gave us his '47 chevy - my dad was a self taught driver - we were white knuckle passengers - it worked out okay. They didn't have seat belts in the day, my aunt used to hold me on her lap in the front seat. Luckily no mishaps, I would have been her airbag and I was a tiny, scrawny thing.

Much later we found out my mom had panic attacks and agoraphobia and so did I, so that probably caused a lot of "not doing" thing.

When I was an instructor for Sears Easy Method driving school over 4 decades ago, I had 3 students that were younger than 60. One 16 year old girl, a 20 year old woman and a 24 year old guy. Everyone else were women in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Their husbands had recently died and so went their means of transportation. It was exciting.

My mother wouldn't get on a plane or boat. She said she'd go to Europe when they invented a pill that would transport you there without a plane or ship.
She also freaked out with heights, like roads that skirted cliffs.

...
They lost money on me I don't buy anything there and I don't drive through there.

There are several of the 92 cities in my county that I won't drive through for the same reason. Some are close to my house so I sometimes need a circuitous route to go somewhere.

Now, now Oz. Finland has some decent grub too... Like the... err.. or the ... um... Well, the fish here is pretty good, and reindeer and elk. And the best potato in the world for making mash, the Puikula, from Lapland. The tomatoes are pretty crappy here though. But Finnish milk is the best in the world (I might be slightly biased, but seriously, the quality is very high). We just aren't very known for our cuisine.

I am proud to say, I knew what a Holden Ute looks like.

And lots of berry dishes.

I'd like to try some mustamakkara. We frequently had blood sausage when I was a kid but it's hard to find now.

And then there's the Finnish version of lutefisk.

 

[Bunnylady]

Alaskan how did you know it was "boy" poop ? dId you catch the perp?

I haven't had a dog since 1989 and yet am always hosing poos off the lawn, flower beds, driveway etc, I'm very certain they aren't "ghost" poops - none of them looked like Cocker poos.

"Cocker poos?" Cute.

But as for Alaskan's discovery, all of the offspring at Alaskan's house are male, and I am sure Alaskan was thinking that it was domestic, rather than imported.

 

[vehve]

Mustamakkara is actually pretty tasty. Local delicacy of Tampere. Lipeäkala, (or lutfisk in Swedish) is just as horrible as the Norwegian lutefisk. Then there's mämmi, which is a easter time desert, worth a try. And yes, we have pretty nice wild berries. And the Christmas dishes are pretty good too. Ham, and root fruit casseroles (rutabaga, carrot and potato mainly) are things found on almost every Finns Christmas table. Some also eat macaroni casserole or liver casserole at that time, but they're not on our menu. And roe is a favorite as well. And rosolli, sort of a salad made with cooked and cubed carrot, apple and beetroot, served with pink whipped cream. You can also add some herring to it, making it a sillisalaatti.

 

[casportpony]

Quote:

...

Wow, I cannot imagine living in such an area... how frustrating that must be. In certain parts of Gilroy and South Santa Clara County, one can do just about anything they want... Speed (haven't seen one cop doing radar in the 7 years we've been here), ride without helmets, drive/ride not street legal quads, dirt bike and race cars on the roads, pass vehicles on double yellow roads (saw a big rig do this the other day), make illegal U turns, and my biggest pet peeve, big rigs can avoid the scales by taking weight restricted side roads

. Here it comes down to the fact that there aren't enough officers to do proper traffic enforcement.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Mustamakkara is actually pretty tasty. Local delicacy of Tampere. Lipeäkala, (or lutfisk in Swedish) is just as horrible as the Norwegian lutefisk. Then there's mämmi, which is a easter time desert, worth a try. And yes, we have pretty nice wild berries. And the Christmas dishes are pretty good too. Ham, and root fruit casseroles (rutabaga, carrot and potato mainly) are things found on almost every Finns Christmas table. Some also eat macaroni casserole or liver casserole at that time, but they're not on our menu. And roe is a favorite as well. And rosolli, sort of a salad made with cooked and cubed carrot, apple and beetroot, served with pink whipped cream. You can also add some herring to it, making it a sillisalaatti.

Wish I had know more about Finish cuisine when I went to Helsinki, perhaps then I would have had better dining experiences?

-Kathy